Axle compensator



Feb. 18, 1941. N I 2,231,968

AXLE COMPENSA'TOR Filed Sept. 21, 1938 3 Shoots-Sheet 1 Feb. 18, 1941.

R. F. THORNTON 2,231,968

AXLE COKPENSATOR Filed Sgpt. 21, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q j S /2 q M E vINVENTOR.

BY 50m, g am ATTORNEY.

- R. F; THORNT 0N 2,231,968

AXLE CDIPENSATOR Feb; 1 1941.

3 sheqts sheet 3 Filed Sept.

Patented Fears, 1941 2,231,968 am COMPENSATOR lliay F. Thornton, Dexter,Mich assignor to c. r. Gobrlght, Inc., Detroit, Mich, a corporation ofMichigan This invention relates to axle compensators and moreparticularly, although not exclusively, to an axle compensator adaptedfor use in structures such as land vehicles, particularly motorvehicles.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedaxle compensator which may be used in a motor vehicle instead of aconventional differential device,'and which allows one of the shafts andits connected driving wheel to run ahead of the other shaft and itsconnected driving wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an axle compensator foruse in a motor vehicle,

of the driving wheels is free to spin whenever its frictional engagementwith the road surface is lost by contact for example with ice, sand ormud.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improvedcompensator device for ve- .hicles, which enables starting of a vehicleeven 0 if one of the driving wheels is not in suflicient frictionalcontact with the road surface to permit it to transmit a driving forceto the vehicle.-

It is known that starting of vehicles equipped with conventionaldiflerential devices is impossible except when each driving wheel isable to deliver suflicient driving force to the vehicle. This is notpossible if one wheel is more free to revolve than the other wheelconnected with the differential mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an axle compensatorinwhich means are provided whereby positivedriving engagement of one ofthe half-axles with the ring gear is not affected by the disengagementof the other halfaxle therefrom. With the axle compensators of the knowntypes intended for similar use, disengagement of one half-axle affectsadversely the operative engagement of the other half-axle. and this isvery objectibnable from the standpoint of safety and smooth operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved axlecompensatorwhich prevents dangerous spinning of either driving wheelsuch as may occur during high speed operation of a vehicle, as forexample when a driving wheel Application September 21, 1938, serial No.230,957

runs off a hard surfaced road and contacts the soft shoulder of thehighway.

It is an added object of the present invention to provide an improvedaxle compensator possessing the foregoing and other desirablecharacteristics which is simple in construction, de-

pendable in operation, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture andrepair, and which may be readily installed in existing constructions asa replacement for the conventional gear type of differential.

, Other objects of this invention will appear in the followingdescription and appended claims, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification wherein 1 likeweferencecharacters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a view, partly in section, of the axle compensator embodyingthe present invention, the ring gear and the differential housing of a20 conventional design being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on thevertical transverse plane passing through the line 2-4 of Fig; 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the axle com- 25 pensator embodying thepresent invention and connecting two half-axles or shafts, thedinerential casing being removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the structure shown in Fig. 3, theright-hand clutch being 30 shown disengaged.

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the :clutch driven members.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view showing the operaitive parts of the axlecompensator in perspeca t ve. i

Fig. 7 is a view similar in part to Fig. 4, both clutches being shownengaged.

Fig. 8 is an end view of'the axle compensator looking from theright-hand side thereof, with m the right-hand side, half-axle and theclutch driven member normally connected thereto removed.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthatthe invention 45 is not limited'in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed 5 herein beyond the reduirements of theprior art.

In the drawings there is shown, by way of example, an axle compensatorsuch as may be used for motor vehicles in place of a conventionaldifferential. It will be understood, however, that the compensatordevice of my invention may be used in other connections such, forinstance, as for operatively connecting two opposed shafts, transmittingpower to said shafts from a single source and permitting one shaft torun ahead of the other.

The device embodying the present invention comprises generally: first,two clutches, preferably of the jaw type, driven preferably from asingle source, each of said clutches being connected to the end of oneof the opposed shafts; and second, means operated by the axle whichtends to turn faster than the other axle, with the aid of which theclutch connected to such faster rotating axle is disengaged, permittingsaid axle to run freely ahead of the other axle. The arrangement of theoperative parts of my improved device is such that disengagement of oneof the clutches produces a more firm engagement of the other clutch andthus permits the driving torque to be transmitted to the more slowlyrotating axle.

, Fig. 1 illustrates an axle compensator constructed with one embodimentof the present invention, operatively mounted within a differentialcasing III to which is secured in a manner well known in the art a ringgear H. The compensator connects two opposed or substantially abuttinghalf-axles or shafts l2. The casing Ill and the ring gear H are ofconventional designs and dimensions, whllethe compensator device of myinvention is made of such dimensions as to fit interchangeably withinsaid casing, by virtue whereof my axle compensator device may beinstalled within a conventional vehicle by removing the conventionaldifferential therefrom and installing my improved axle compensator. The

above feature of interchangeability with devices of conventionalconstruction is a very important advantage of'my improved device. Theaxle compensator illustrated in the drawngs is symmetrical on both sidesof a plane passing through its center and, therefore, for the sake ofsimplicity of the following description the same numerals will beassigned to the similar parts of the compensator if two of them areprovided in the compensator, one on each side of said plane. Whenever itbecomes necessary to distinguish between such similar parts as'to themode of, their operation, they will be distinguished by. the referenceto the right-hand side or the left-hand side of the compensatorconsidering the above mentioned plane as a division plane.

Referring to the drawings, the compensator device illustrated thereincomprises .a driver member, in the present embodiment a driving spiderI4 provided with a plurality, in thepresent instance four, of lugs ISwith the .aid of which the spider is drivingly connected .with thediflerential housing I 0. The driving spider I4 is generally in the formof a wide ring, and it is internally splined on its inner cylindricalsurface as is shown at [6.

Within the driving spider I4 there are slidably fitted two clutchdriving members [8 provided v on their outside cylindrical surfaces withexternal splinings as is indicated at. It. The members along thecoinciding axes of the spider l4, members l8 and axles l2.

A spring 20 is arranged between the clutch driving members I8. Thespring is of the compression type and it bears upon the shoulders 21provided on the members ii. The spring 20 tends to forcethe members It!outwardly, that is, away from the center of the compensator, therebykeeping teeth 22 provided on the outward ends ofthe clutch drivingmembers 18 in mesh with clutch teeth 23 provided on clutch driven mem#bers 24.

' The clutch driven members 24 are provided with internally splinedextensions 24a. and may be pressed on the externally splined ends of thehalf-axles l2. It is to be noted that the members 24 do not slide on thehalf-axles i2, particularly in the outward axial direction, althoughthey may be removed from said axles when the device is beingdisassembled. The same effect ma be produced by causing the members 24to bear against the walls of the housing or differential casing l0.

bers II will also be rotated. Due to the engagement of the clutch teeth23 and 24, the members l8 drive theclutch driven members 24, whichmembers in turn drive the half-axles l2. Thus, the driving connectionbetween the ring gear II and the half-axles I2 is of a positive nature,,and if power is applied to said gear ll, both half-axles will be drivenbecause of said positive driving connection. Such driving of the axlesby the ring gear ll isnot affected by any parts of the compensator aslong as power is applied to the ring gear II and the vehicle travelsalong a straight path either forward or backward.

By virtue of the above described construction there are provided, ineffect, in my improved compensator two tooth or jaw clutches, one foreach oi the two opposed shafts or half-axles 12, each of said clutchescomprising a driving member I8 and a driven member 24, the drivingmembers being positively connected for rotation by means of the spidermember 14 and the differential casing It to the ring gear ll. Engagementof said clutches is effected by means of the spring 20 which pushes thedriving members 18, slidable longitudinally in the spider l4, outwardlyinto engagementwith the driven members 24.

In accordance with the invention there are provided in my compensatorimproved means whereby either of the above described clutches isdisengaged by the operation of the corresponding half-axle l2 when thesame begins to run ahead of the other half-axle in either direction ofrotation. With the forward motion of the vehicle and power beingtransmitted from the engine to the driving wheels, thiscondition may betermed as one under which the. clutch driyen member tends to drive. Inthe present embodiment of the invention, said means are exemplified bythe cam teeth 21 provided on the clutch driven members 24, which teethmesh with similar cam teeth 28 provided on clutch disengaging members 29madein the form of internally splined sleeves rotatably fitted in theclutch driving members II .and having shoulders bearing upon theshoulders'2l of the members [I from the side opposite 50 hand side axlei2 indexes or 0110 a ainst to the spring 20. The cam teeth 21 and 23 areslanted on their sides on an angle relatively small, such for instanceas 30 degrees, and therefore if such torque as results from thediflerence in thespeeds of rotation of the shafts is applied to thedriving member 24, instead of transmitting rotation to the clutchdisengaging member 29, the action of the meshing cam teeth 21 and 28operates to push the clutch disengaging memher 29 and the clutch drivingmember l8 inwardly or toward the center of the compensator deviceagainst the resistance of the spring 20, thereby disengaging the clutchteeth 22 and 23 and permitting rotation of the clutch driven member 24independently of the clutch driving member It.

The above described condition is illustrated in Fig. 4, whereinthe-right-hand clutch of the compensator is shown disengaged, permittingthe right-hand side half-axle 52 to rotate faster than the left-handhalf-axle is rotating at the moment. By virtue of such operation, therighthand driving wheel of the vehicle may run faster than the left-handdriving wheel, thereby per- ..mitting the vehicle to make a left-handturn without objectionable slippage of. the driving wheels on the road.As commonly known, in following a curve, the' outside wheel of a vehiclehas to cove'ra longer path than is covered by the inside wheel of thevehicle.-

The clutch disengaging members 29 are connected for rotation by means oran externally splined connecting sleeve 30 and, therefore, in

the condition illustrated in Fig. 4 the left-hand side half-axle l2 andthe entire compensator de-.

vice including both clutch driving and both clutch disengaging membersrotate together, and it is only the right-hand side half-axle and thedriven clutch member connected thereto that are rotating separately.From an examination of Fig. 4

it can be easily understood that the power received by the lugs l5 ofthe driving spider I 4 is transmitted to the left-hand side half-axle I2by a positive driving connection, and therefore the left-hand wheelwhich is connected tothe left-hand half-axle I 2 receives the necessarydrivof the clutch driving member '18, the spring 20 pushes theclutchdriving member l8 into engagement with the clutch driven member24. The condition in which both clutches are fully engaged and bothhalf-axles l2 are-driving at a the same speed is illustrated in Fig. 7.

Should the left-hand half-axle l2 begin to rotate faster than theright-hand half-axle, it will become disengaged from the left-handclutch driving member l8 in exactly the same manner as was describedabove with respect to disengage ment of the right-hand half-axle.

It is an important advantage of the present invention that disengagementof either of the clutches does not affect adversely the secure enwgagement of the remaining clutch. From an examination of Fig. 4, it canbe clearly seen that when the right-hand clutch is disengaged. thespring 20 is still more compressed and it exerts a greater force on theleft-hand clutch as driving member i8, whereby a still. more secure rimengagement of the left-hand clutch is attained. As noted above, theclutch drivenmembers 24 and the half-axles i2 rigidly connected theretodo not slide in the axial direction.

It is to be noted that in order to permit disis engaging operation oithe cam teeth there 'must be permitted a certain amount of freerotationof the clutch driven member in, the driving-direction. Fig. 8illustrates this requirement by showing positions of the teeth 23 of theclutch driven 10 member in dotted lines in the recesses between theteeth 22 of the clutch driving member l3. As can be clearly seen in saidfigure there is a clearance 3! between the teeth 23 and 22 and,

therefore, the teeth 23 when tending to run ahead 15 of the teeth v22may move in the driving direction, that is, clockwise in Fig. 8, untilsaid space 3| is consumed. By that time the cam teeth 21 have climbed onthe cam teeth 23 and the clutch is disengaged. It will be observed thatthere is 20' no power driving the clutch tooth at the instant of thedisengagement of such tooth. The rotation of the clutch driven memberahead of the clutch driving member continues with the unmeshed clutchteeth and the top flats 21a and 28a 25 of the cam teeth 21 and. 23bearing one upon the other. Such rotation of the clutch driven member 24continues until the cam teeth come into mesh again, which also bringsthe clutch teeth 22 and 23 in operative engagement. This 30 results inthe clutch teeth being in positive driving engagement at all times whendriving torque is applied thereto.

In order to permit a similar operation of my improved compensator whenthe vehicle is oper- 35 ating in reverse gear, means are provided whichpermit rotation of the clutch disengaging members 24 relative to theclutch driving members l3 for a distance suilicient to consume theclearance space 3| thus forming a similar clearance a space on the otherside of the driven tooth 23. Said means also provide a. stop for saidclutch driven members 24 at that point.

In the present embodiment of the invention said means are exemplified bya spring-and-ball 5 device provided in the clutch driving members l3.Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, said-device comprises, a spring 32 mountedwithin a hole drilled in the clutch driving member from the centerthereof outwardly, the outward opening of said hole be- 5;

ing closed in any suitable manner to provide a support for the spring32. The spring 32 bears upon a ball 33, which ball is prevented fromfalling out of the hole by peening the metal around the edges of thehole. The ball 33 cooperates with two indentations 34 and 35 formed onthe clutch disengaging member 24. By virtue of such a construction thereis provided a certain resistance to the relative rotation of the membersl8 and 24, which rotation is. however, easily m overcome by the clutchdriving member it when the same is being driven by the engine. As soonas the ball 33 gets into the indentation 35 a positive stop is providedand a further relative rotation of the members l3 and 24 is prevented.In 45 this position of the operative parts the compensator deviceoperates as described above with reference to the forward operation ofthe vehicle. When the gears are shifted for the forward operation of thevehicle, the rotation of theqo clutch driving member 18 brings the ball33 into the indentation 34 and the device again operates as described;

When the vehicle is coasting and the inertia of the vehicle tends to'drivethe engine which 7 l4 to move relatively to the clutch drivenmember 24 and the clutch disengaging member 29,

5 in consequence whereof the clearance space II is taken up, just as inthe above described case of reversal of the gears. Under such conditionsthe outside wheel is positively connected with the engine, while theinside wheel is disconnected l0 therefrom and is permitted torun slowerthan the outside wheel.

Thus, considered from one of its broader aspects, my inventioncontemplates providing an improved axle compensator for motor vehicleswhich permits one of the drivingwheels to run ahead of the other, inwhich compensator there are provided means whereby such free rotation ofoneof the wheels does not interfere with the transmission of power fromthe engine to the other driving wheel, the device providing a positivedriving connection between the source of driving torque and said otherdriving wheel.

I claim:

1. In an axle compensator for a vehicle having two opposed axle shafts,a final drive gear and a housing secured thereto; a spider drivinglymounted within said housing, two driving clutch members longitudinallyslidable within said spider and drivingly connected thereto, two

driven clutch members drivingly mounted on the.

' ends of said two axle shafts. respectively, a spring operativelymounted between said driving clutch members, said spring adapted to pushthe driving clutch members outwardly into driving engagement with saiddriven clutch members,-two

clutch disengaging members bearing respectively upon the two drivingclutch members, and adapted to be pushed separately inwards of thecompensator against the resistance of said spring (0 when one of thedriven clutch members tends to I drive while transmission of rotativeeffort takes place between said final drive gear and'said axle shafts,thereby pushing the corresponding driving clutch member away from suchdriven clutch member.

2.. In an axle compensator for a vehicle having two opposed axle shafts,a final drive gear and a housing secured thereto; a spider drivinglymounted within said housing, two driving clutch 50. memberslongitudinally slidable within said spider and drivingly. connectedthereto, two driven clutch members drivingly mounted on the ends of saidtwo axle shafts respectively and fixed in the outward direction, and aspring operatively mounted between said driving clutch members; saidspring adapted to push the driving clutch members outwardly into drivingengagement withsaid driven clutch members, a plurrality of cam teeth onthe clutch -drivenmem bers, two clutch disengagingmembers each bearingon one. of said driving clutch members, a

corresponding plurality of cam teeth on said clutch disengaging membersadapted to mesh with the cam teeth of the driven clutch membars, each ofsaid clutch disengaging members being adapted to be pushed separatelyinwards ,of the compensator by the interaction 'of said meshing camteeth when the clutch driven mem-. ber tends to drive through said camteeth, whereby the corresponding driving clutch member is pushed awayfromsuch tending-to-drive clutch driven member.

3. In an axle compensator for a vehicle having. two opposed axle shafts,a final drive gear and .18 a housing secured thereto; a spider drivinglymounted within said housing, two driving clutch members longitudinallyslidable within said spider and drivingly connected thereto, two drivenclutch members drivingly mounted on the ends of said two axle shaftsrespectively and fixed in the outward direction, and a sprin operativelymounted between said driving clutch members, said spring adapted to pushthe driving clutch members outwardly into driving engagement with saiddriven clutch members, a plurality of cam teeth provided on the clutchdriven members inwardly of the clutch engaging portion thereof, twoclutch disengaging meminteraction of said meshing cam teeth when theclutch drivenmember tends to drive through said cam teeth, whereby thecorresponding driving clutch member is pushed away from suchtending-to-drive clutch driven member.

4. In a compensator for connecting two opposed shafts capable ofoverrunning each other, two clutches each having a driving member and adriven member, cam means operated by the overrunning shaft. andoperating to disengage said clutches, -means for connecting said drivingclutch members with a source of power independently of. said cam means,said driving clutch members being adapted to move toward the center ofthe compensator for disengagement of the clutches.

5. In a compensator for connecting two. opposed shafts capable ofoverrunning each bther, two jaw-type clutches, each of said clutcheshaving a driving member and a driven member, said driven members beingdrivingly mountedon the respective opposed ends of said shafts, cammeans operated by the overrunning shaft and operating to disengage saidclutches, means for connecting said driving clutch members with a sourceof power independently of said cam means, and

said driving members being adapted to move away from said driven membersfor disengage- -ment of the clutches.

6. In an axle compensator for operatively connecting two aligned axlescapable of overrunning each other, two jaw-typeclutches, each of saidclutches having a driving member and a drivenmeans, and said drivingmembersbeing arranged ward the center of the compensator for theirdisengagement from said driven members.

7. In an axle compensator for operatively connecting two aligned axles,two jaw clutches, each having a driving member and a driven member, saiddriven members being drivingly mounted respectively on the opposing endsof said axles and anchored thereon in the axial direction, and saiddriving members being arranged between said driven members and movabletoward each other i I for their disengagement from said driven members;two clutch disengaging members journaied within said driving members;means connecting said driving members to said clutch disengaging membersfor the movements in the axial directions; and. a spring arrangedbetween said driving clutch members and adapted to force said membersoutwardly into engagement with said clutc driven members. a

8. In an axle compensator foroperatively connecting two aligned axles,two jaw clutches, each having a driving member and .a driven member,said driven members being drivingly mounted respectively on the opposingends of said axles and anchored thereon in the outward axial direction,and said driving members being arranged between said driven members andmovable toward each other for their disengagement from said drivenmembers; two clutch disengaging members journaled within said drivingmembers; means connecting said driving members to said clutchdisengaging members for the movements in the axial directions; and aspring arranged between said driving clutch members and adapted to forcesaid members outwardly into engagement with said clutch driven members,cam

'means provided on said driven clutch members and said clutchdisengaging members, said cam 'means adapted to move a clutchdisengaging member inwardly of the compensator when the clutch drivenmember on the side of said. disengaging member tends to drive throughsaid cam means. i

9. In" an axle compensator for operatively conclutch disengaging membersfor the movements in the axial directions; and a spring arranged.

between said driving clutch members and adapted to force said membersoutwardly into engagement with said clutch driven members, cam meansprovided on said driven clutch members and said clutch disengagingmembers, said cam means adapted to move a clutch disengag.-

ing member inwardly of the compensator when the clutch driven member onthe side of said disengaging member tends to drive through said cammeans, said clutches having lost motion'between their meshing jaws toallow motion of the drivenmembers sufficient to operate the cam means.

10. In an axle compensator for operatively connecting two aligned axles,two jaw clutches, each having a driving member and a driven member, saiddriven members being drivingly mounted respectively on the opposing endsof said axles and anchored thereon in the outward axial direction, andsaid driving members being arranged between said driven members andmovable toward each other for their disengage ment from said, drivenmembers; two clutch disengaging members journaled within said drivingmembers; means connecting said driving members to said clutchdisengaging members for the movements in the axial directions; and aspring into engagement with said clutch driven members, a plurality ofcam teeth on said driven clutch members and a corresponding plurality ofcam teeth on said clutch disengaging members, said teeth being in meshand adapted to move a clutch disengaging. member inwardly of thecompensator when the driven clutch member meshing therewith tends todrive through said cam teeth, the lost motion in the clutches beingsumcient to allow rotative motion of the driven members to eflectcomplete disengagement .of the clutches.

11. A structure defined by the preceding claim 10 and including meanswhereby each of the clutch disengaging members may be turned withrespect to the driving member within which it is arranged substantiallyfor a distance of the lost motion between the teeth of said clutches.

12. A structure defined by the preceding claim 10 and including ball andspring means whereby each or the clutch disengaging members may beturned with respect to the driving member within which it is anangedsubstantially for a distance of the lost motionbetween the teeth of saidclutches.

RAY F. THORNTON.

